11 Doable Ways to DIY a Basement Ceiling

Choosing your basement ceiling can be tricky! It can be tempting to go bare-bones with the ceilings so you don’t lose any clearance for this often-low ceiling, but if you do that, you can miss out on a major style opportunity. Because basements are often styled as casual spaces, you have the freedom to experiment with bold or unusual decorating ideas that you might be less ready to try in the other rooms of the house. Here, 11 out-of-the-box basement ceiling ideas to consider in your remodel.

Painted Rafters

Charcoal-colored rafters may seem like an unexpected choice for a basement ceiling, but when you contrast them with pale-gray furnishings and deep-gray floors, the result is a clean and modern look. Plus, the dark basement ceiling rafters do another trick: they effortlessly disguise plumbing and electricity without a speck of drywall.

Painted Pipes and Beams

A decorating trick of photo studios everywhere: Paint it all white! In this space, the beams on the basement ceiling—and everything inside, including pipes, ductwork and lighting fixtures—get a coat of modern bright-white paint that complements any kind of decor. This simple decorating trick turns all those utilitarian features in the basement ceiling into cool, sculptural elements.

Tin Ceiling

Tin tiles are a staple of old-school pubs. This charming decorative element reflects light and sound, making an intimate space feel lively and fun. Placed on the basement ceiling, tin tiles can make the basement feel like an authentic entertaining space, even if it’s a new construction or recent renovation. And once you add in that full bar and pool table, the guests are sure to follow.

Corrugated Metal Ceiling

When your basement ceiling is low, your room can quickly feel cramped. To overcome a basement's design limitations, it’s key to add a decorative element that bounces light and introduces a new texture without adding bulk. In this space, corrugated metal—a fixture of temporary builds, but rarely a home decorating staple—becomes the star in a sea of sharp-lined cuts of wood. The result is to make the basement ceiling a focal point instead of an afterthought, and create an artistic ambiance that doesn't suffer for lack of square footage.

Decorative Ceiling Tile

Far beyond the typical dropped tiles seen in many basement ceilings, the molded details of these ceiling tiles gives the below-grade room all the character of its upstairs neighbors. Paired with a wood-look floor and classic wallpaper, the basement looks like a lived-in room instead of a recent renovation.

Contrasting Paint Colors

This exuberant basement ceiling idea includes a mix of colors layered over each other to create a unique basement ceiling, which pulls together all the colors in the room: warm browns, reds, and oranges scattered throughout. The contrasting orange accents emphasize the architecture of the room and give the space a vibrant energy.

Traditional Box Ceiling

The beams in this basement ceiling have just enough embellishment to make them seem like architectural elements instead of structural solutions. Painted pure white, they work like crown molding to add interest above eye level and make the ceilings seem both higher and like an original part of an older home.

Exposed Wood Beams

The exposed wood beams on this basement ceiling are a rustic but contemporary architectural feature. Set against white-painted panels and beams, all the natural grain in the lightly stained wood comes forward, giving the space the feel of a modern farmhouse.

Simple Drop Ceiling Tiles

This solution for basement ceilings is a classic for a reason: The simple drop ceiling tiles create a grid overhead that acts like wallpaper to establish a geometric pattern that moves the eye through the room. And the tiles are easy to work with, too, since you can move them individually to access plumbing pipes or electrical hookups.